Jared Harrison, of Salem, was booked in the Marion County Jail on charges of first- and second-degree animal neglect.

Deputies removed the horses from the property Thursday, just days after they found and euthanized another horse that was "mired in mud" and "quite old, suffering from malnutrition and near
death," said Don Thomson, a spokesman
for the Marion County Sheriff's Office. A search of the 50-acre property in the 5400 block of 36th Avenue Southeast also uncovered six dead horses.

The field — which was between 10 and 15 inches deep in mud in some parts — lacked available drinking water, food and shelter for the animals, Thomson said.

Deputy Brenda Lumley, who assisted with the investigation, called the conditions "deplorable."

"Probably the worst I've seen in many years of doing this work," she said in a statement.

Investigators determined Harrison was responsible for caring for the animals and interviewed him, Thomson said. He reportedly admitted the conditions were "inadequate and that he hadn't been feeding them as much as he should have," but said the owner of the horses did not provide him enough money to do so.

An investigation is ongoing and will be submitted to the Marion County district attorney's office for possible charges on other suspects, Thomson said.

The horses, which Thomson said suffered from lice, worms, rain-rot, mud fever and general starvation, are recovering at two area rescue facilities.